Jet pipe signal device



Jan. 11, 1955 Z IEBQLZ 2,699,356

JET PIPE SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1950 S Sheets-Sheet 1 fLfCTR/C .EZECI'AUMOT/VE 6704/41. fIVERG/Z/A G 87/2702 SOURCE H CIRCUIT L. l 1-72 [6 l2 #4RMAZUPE 24 I] 5 I V TOR. He bani zebplz Jan. 11, 1955 H. ZIEBOLZ 2,699,356

JET PIPE SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent JET PIPE SIGNAL DEVICE Herbert Ziebolz, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Askania Regulator Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 14, 1950, Serial No. 190,129 8 Claims. (Cl. 299-73) The present invention relates to jet pipe regulators, that is to say, relay regulators of a type including a jet pipe having an orifice for discharging a stream of fluid under pressure toward a receiver port and being mounted for swinging about a fixed pivot axis for selection of degree of registration of its discharge orifice with such receiver port. The position of the jet pipe is determined by magnitude of a signal that is applied to it to deflect it from a preselected neutral position, and the pressure within the receiver port developed by fluid entering the port thereby is rendered proportional to the signal magnitude.

One aspect of the present invention relates to improvements in means for developing force signals and applying them to the movable assembly of a jet pipe regulator for positioning the jet pipe in accordance with magnitude of an electrical condition, as voltage, current or power, that constitutes a primary input signal to the regulator. Heretofore such signals have been applied to a jet pipe as forces or movements applied in directions extended along a chord of the travel path of the discharge orifice about the pivot axis. This mode of signal application has involved development of the force signal by a conventional device for converting the primary electrical condition to a mechanical force or movement, translating the output of such device to exert it in a direction extended along the chord of the arcuate path of swinging of the jet pipe discharge orifice, and transporting the force through an axially movable thrust link for delivery to the jet pipe. According to the present invention, a sig nal force is developed from the electrical primary signal and applied directly to the movable assembly of the regulator as a torque exerted about the preselected pivot axis ofjet pipe swinging.

A second aspect of the invention relates to suspending a swinging jet pipe and rotative element of such a signal device.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a novel arrangement for applying a signal to the movable assembly of a jet pipe regulator.

Another object is the provision of a novel combination of jet pipe regulator and an electromotive signal device for positioning the jet pipe in accordance with magnitude of an electrical condition energizing such device.

Still another object is the provision in a jet pipe regulator of novel signal and zeroing bias means.

An additional object is the provision of a swinging jet pipe assembly with novel, cooperative signal and suspension means.

A further object is the provision of a novel arrangement for translating an electrical signal to a mechanical signal and exerting it directly upon a movable jet pipe assembly as a torque exerted to swing the jet pipe of such assembly without necessity for translating or transporting such mechanical signal for application to the jet pipe.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a schematic diagram disclosing a basic principle of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, looking upward, through a regulator assembly and showing the bottom plan of a regulator unit'arranged in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified signal-applying device embodying the invention.

is a vertical longitudinal section on line 33 2,699,356 Patented Jan. 11, 1955 Fig. 5 is a similar longitudinal section showing a second modified form of signal-applying device embodying the invention, and also showing a modified jet pipe suspension device.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section showing a different form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the arrangement of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a median longitudinal section disclosing application of the invention to a diflerent type of jet pipe movable assembly.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a highly specialized application of the invention.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view on a plane indicated by line 1111 of Fig. 4, showing the top plan of the fiexure support.

First describing and analyzing the basic principles and general mode of operation of the invention, and referring to Fig. 1, a jet pipe 15 is mounted on a support for swinging about a preselected and rigidly fixed pivot axis 17. The jet pipe has an internal passage 18 communicating with an orifice 19 in the jet pipe end for axial discharge of fluid toward a pair of receiver ports 20, 21 opening through a surface of a distributor structure 22 in closely spaced relation in the direction of swing of orifice 19 about axis 17. Heretofore, conventional practice has been to supply fluid through an internal passage in support member 16 by way of a floating swivel joint suspending one end of the latter, the second end of the member 16 being rotatably supported and fixed against lateral movement by a conventional bearing assembly. In accordance with the prior practice, signals have been applied to the jet pipe itself at a point between its orifice and the supporting element 16, to control degree of registration of orifice 19 with the respective receiver ports 20, 21. Usually a zero biasing spring has been connected with the jet pipe at a point directly opposite the point of signal application, to maintain the jet pipe in a preselected zero position in absence of a signal and to proportion degree of deflection of the jet pipe from such zero position to magnitude of a force applied to swing it from that position and constituting the signal. Application of signal and bias forces tend to deflect the movable jet pipe assembly from the preselected pivot axis. The problem of maintaining the actual pivot axis of jet pipe swinging in coincidence with the axis preselected to provide an orifice swing path properly located relative to the receiver ports is complicated by the characteristics of various types of suspension devices used to support the member 16 for rotative movement, and for supplying fluid to it from a fixed supply line. Bearing assemblies of relatively movable parts, and packed fluid-conducting swivel joints introduce unpredictable frictional resistance to jet pipe swinging, that usually appears as a tendency to interfere with accurate return of the jet pipe to its neutral position under the influence of the biasing system. Flexure type suspensions avoid friction efiects but are subject to lateral distortion that permits the rotative jet pipe assembly to deflect laterally from the preselected pivot axis.

Problems of this nature are increasingly serious with increasing magnitudes of signal forces and the accompanying increased bias force magnitude ranges, since lateral deflection effects of such forces increase with force magnitudes, and heavier suspension devices capable of resisting them introduce greater friction effects. Satisfactory performance has been accomplished by making use of delicate suspension devices and fluid-supplying swivel connections capable of maintaining the jet pipesupporting element, as 16, centered upon the preselected pivot axis against signal and bias forces of relatively small magnitudes, and in restricting such forces to magnitudes within the resistance capacities of such devices.

Returning to Fig. 1, an electrical signal device 23 may be of conventional form to produce a voltage or current output. The arrangement of the invention for applying such output to deflect jet pipe 15 from a preselected zero position to a degree proportional to magnitude of such output, comprises an electromotive assembly including an armature 24 mounted on and secured to the jet pipe support 16, a stator and an energizing circuit 26 that translates the electrical signal output of source 23 into a torque of proportional magnitude exerted between stator 25 and armature 24 to swing jet pipe 15 a proportional degree from its zero position. The eleetromotive assembly 24, 25, 26 also may discriminate between opposite senses of electrical signal and swing the jet pipe in corresponding ones of two opposite directions.

Figs. 2 to 9 disclose practical physical arrangements of the system of Fig. 1. As shown by Figs. 2 and 3, the jet pipe regulator may be enclosed in a main housing structure 30 including a wall 31 through which extends a passage 32 for supplying fluid under pressure to the regulator. The signal-applying electromotive assembly comprises a conventional electric motor arrangement 33 of a stator disposed concentrically about the pivot axis about which a jet pipe 34 is to swing and about which is concentrically disposed a tubular jet pipe-supporting element 35, which also is to supply fluid to the jet pipe. The stator includes a casing 36 mounted on housing wall 31 and projecting therefrom surrounding tubular element 35, and enclosing and supporting a field Winding system 37. The rotor 38, which constitutes the armature of the electromotive assembly, is mounted on and secured to the tubular element 35. Preferably the rotor 38 is secured to tubular element only at its end 39 that is more remote from supporting wall 31, and the rotor throughout its length is spaced from the outer surface of tubular element 35 to provide a clearance 40. A bearing assembly 41 advantageously is interposed between rotor 38 tubular element 35 at the end of the former that is more adjacent wall 31.

While various arrangements for suspending tubular element 35 may be employed to permit swinging of the jet pipe and for biasing the latter to a zero position, arrangements such as those disclosed in my copending application for United States patent, Serial No. 190,130, filed October 14, 1950, are preferred, and herein disclosed. In Fig. 3 such an arrangement, which is peculiarly advantageous when used with the signal devices herein disclosed, comprises one wherein the tubular jet pipe-supporting element itself acts as a biasing device as well as one for supporting and supplying fluid to the jet pipe. The tubular element, between its point of attachment to wall 31 and the point of attachment to it of the armature or rotor 38, acts as a torque tube, the wall of the element at the latter point being circumferentially rotatable by torque exerted upon it and developed between the rotor and stator, and the tubular element wall between that point and the wall-attached element end being circumferentially distortable by such rotative movement, and resilience of the tubular element Wall enables it to act as a biasing device. This type of arrangement is accomplished by rigidly securing the inlet end 42 of tubular element 35 to housing wall 31 in surrounding relation to the outlet of supply passage 32, and spacing the point of attachment 39 of rotor 38 to element 35 from wall 31 to provide a reach of element 35 long enough to act in the torque tube fashion described. Jet pipe 34 is secured to tubular element 35 to the opposite side of the rotor from wall 31, and preferably the second end 43 of element 35 is free to rotate with the rotor so that the angular position of the jet pipe exactly corresponds with that of the rotor.

Various types of electromotive assemblies may be associated with a jet pipe regulator in the general type of arrangement of which Fig. 3 discloses an example. Thus in Fig. 4, wherein the tubular element 45 that supports jet pipe 46 again has its first end 47 rigidly secured to a supporting wall 48 surrounding the outlet of a supply passage 49, the electromotive assembly comprises a two phase induction motor 56. This motor comprises an eddy current disk 51 secured to tubular element 45, and field windings 52, 53 adapted to cooperate with disk 51 to exert torque thereon when energized by currents having a quadrature phase relation. Windings 52, 53 are supported by a housing 54 that in turn is secured to supporting wall 48.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the tubular element 55 that. supports jet pipe 56 again has its first end 57 secured to a supporting wall 58 surrounding the outlet of a supply passage 59 that wall 58 encloses. The electromotive assembly disclosed by these figures comprises a pair of mag netically permeable armatures 60 that are supported on and in radially spaced relation to tubular element 55 by a. radial arm 61. These armatures are respectively associated with a pair of solenoid coils 62 secured to a hous ing 63 that in turn is supported on wall 58.

In assemblies of the general type disclosed by Figs. 3 to 6, with the tubular element that supports and supplies fluid to the jet pipe rigidly attached at one of its ends to serve as a torque tube biasing device, it is desirable that suspension means be provided at the second end of the tubular element to insure maintenance of the axis of the tubular element in coincidence with the preselected axis of pivotal movement of the jet pipe. Since the rigid attachment of the first end of the tubular element to the supporting wall tends to maintain this coincidence, selection of the particular suspension means at the second end may be made with the object of a desirable charac teristic of resistance to rotative movement of the jet pipesupporting element end, rather than with the object of a rigid support of the element end against lateral deflection. Consequently, a highly torque-sensitive bearing assembly of relatively movable parts may be used, or a flexure type of suspension may be used. The latter type of suspension device comprises an arrangement including a member that is distortable by relative movement of the elements that it connects, rather than an assembly of relatively movable parts of conventional rotary bearing In Fig. 3 the suspension device for the second end 43 of tubular element 35 is shown as a conventional ball bearing assembly 65 mounted in an end structure 66 that caps housing 36. A stub spindle 67 projecting from a plug body 68 that stops the bore of tubular element 35 adjacent the second end 43 of the latter is engaged in bearing assembly 65.

A typical flexure suspension device 70 is disclosed in Figs. 4 to 6 and ll as supporting the second ends 71 of the tubular jet pipe-supporting elements 45, 55 of the respective assemblies.

This device comprises a supporting member 72 projecting inward from the end Wall structure 73 to one side of the preselected axis of jet pipe swinging and having surfaces 74 that are disposed along planes that cross at the pivot axis. To these surfaces are secured ends of resilient strips 75 that cross at the pivot axis and have their free ends attached to surfaces 76 of a cradle structure 77 that are angularly related as are the support element surfaces 74. The end 71 of the tubular element, 45 in Fig. 4 and 55 in Figs. 5 and 6, is supported in the cradle structure 77. When the reach of the tubular jet pipe-supporting element to which the electromotive armature is attached is rotated to swing the jet pipe, the second tubular element end 71 is permitted to rotate by flexing of resilient strips 75.

Obviously, use of an electromotive system with a torque-developing armature secured to the swingable jet pipe assembly in concentric relation to the axis of pivotal movement of the latter is not limited to assemblies of the torque tube type of suspension of Figs. 3 to 6. In Fig. 7 the movable jet pipe assembly is suspended and supplied in accordance with an arrangement described and claimed in my co-pending application for United States patent, Serial No. 134,483, filed December 22, 1949, now Patent No. 2,633,385, dated March 31, 1953. In this arrangement the tubular spindle element 80 that supports jet pipe 81 is suspended at each of its ends 82, 83 by a ball bearing assembly 84 that cooperates with a stub spindle 85 projecting from a plug 86 in the internal bore of element 80, the bearing assemblies being suitably mounted in housing structural wall parts 87, 88. The end reach of tubular element 80 adjacent its first end 82 is arranged within a bore 89 in housing part 87, which bore is sufficiently larger than element 80 to provide a very small clearance between the opposed surfaces of the housing structure and element, shown in greatly exaggerated form at 90. A chamber 91 surrounds a part of tubular element 80 within housing structure 87 and opens into bore 89, and a supply passage 92 also enclosed by housing structure 87 communicates with chamber 91.

In registration with chamber 91 for entry of fluid to its interior therefrom, the wall of element 80 is provided with ports 93. The narrow clearance affords freedom of frictional resistance to rotative movement of element 80, but its narrowness affords sufficient resistance to fluid flow to prevent substantial loss of fluid or pressure drop.

In the arrangement of Fig. 7, the armature of the electromotive system is shown as a rotor 94 secured to tubular element 80. Since the latter is suspended by bearing assemblies for free rotation of both of its ends 82, 83, rotor 94 may be secured to it along the entire length of the rotor. A system of field windings 95 is mounted in a casing 96 for torque-developing cooperation with the rotor when electrically energized.

Since the jet pipe assembly of Fig. 7 is freely rotatable as so far described, it is advantageous to provide a zeroing bias system, and furthermore, it is preferable to arrange such bias system to exert a minimum tendency to disturb the axial position of tubular element 80. Such a bias system is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 as comprising a lever arm 98 secured to one stub spindle 85, preferably at the outer side of the bearing assembly 84 that supports that spindle, and shown as being on housing structural part 88. 99, having opposite ends fixed respectively to a housing end structure 100 and lever 98, is arranged to bias lever 98, tubular element 80 and jet pipe 81 rotatively toward a preselected zero position of the latter. Still another system is shown by Fig. 9. This system also is fully disclosed and claimed by the above-identified application,

sembly 103 secured in a supporting wall 104. A resiliently flexible U-shaped supply tube 105 has one of its ends secured to one wall 104 in surrounding relation to the outlet of a supply passage 106 enclosed by that walL the other end of tube 105 being rigidly secured to its internal passage 107 connected with 106 through the interior of the tube 105.

A rotor 108 is secured to spindle 101, and a system of field windings 109 is suitably supported, as by structure 110, for cooperation with rotor 108 to exert torque on the latter when the electromotive system is energized electrically.

In this arrangement, when the electromotive system 108, 109 is energized to develop torque exerted on spindle A zeroing bias system of springs 111, s1m1lar to that of Figs. 7 and 8, may be employed. Fig. discloses a specialized system for positioning 1 14, and carrying a system of windings 116 that is enertermined, maximum torque-producing phase relationship, typlcally phase agreement. One winding system, shown as the stator system 117, is connected in series in load to act as a current winding. The other wind ng system, here rotor system 116, is connected across magnitude of such circuit power the bias systems disclosed above, system.

specific exemplary disclosures.

I claim: 1. A jet ture includ pipe regulator comprising a supporting strucing a first portion enclosing a fluid supply inlet arranged for receiving fluid supplied by said passage,

said tube having that is circumferentially rotatable pipe supported by axially spaced from said end a reach about its axis, a jet said reach and radially projecting torque when electrically energized.

2. A jet pipe regulator in accordance with claim 1,

wherein said su ply tube end fo 3. A jet wherein sa spension means suspends said second supr rotation with said supply tube reach.

e assembly in accordance with claim 1, suspension means compnses a bearing assembly disposed to maintain said tube reach and rotor centered on a pipe is to sw preselected pivot axis about which the jet mg.

4. A jet pipe regulator in accordance with claim 1,

wherein of which said said supporting structure comprises a housing second portion comprises a sidewall structure extended axially of and surrounding said supply tube, and of which said first and third portions comprise end walls closing the respective 5. jet pipe regulator said first supporting structure portion,

ends of said housing. in accordance with claim 1,

and said supply tube is circumferentially distortable between its said first end and said reach by torque exerted on the latter by said motor means.

motor, and said tube end for rotative movement with said reach and rotor.

7. A jet pipe regulator in accordance with claim 1,

wherein said first supply tube end is rigidly fixed to References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

